Family FLUSTRELLIDRIDAE Bassler, 1953


Compiler and date details

July 2001 - Dr Philip Bock

 

Introduction

The family Flustrellidridae was introduced by Bassler (1953) for the genus Flustrellidra and some other carnose ctenostomes, and was revised by Cook (1964) to include Flustrellidra, Elzerina and Bockiella .

The family is characterised by the regular patterning of autozooids and surrounding kenozooids, each of which frequently has the cuticular frontal wall extended to form a thickened spine. The autozooid orifice is also thickened to produce an operculum-like lower lip.

Flustrellidra hispida has large, encrusting autozooids with lophophores bearing as many as 35 tentacles. Its larvae are bivalved, with a vestigial gut (Prenant & Bobin, 1956). Flustrellidra has colonies which often encrust algae, or are erect and lobed; its species are widely distributed in the northern hemisphere, particularly in arctic and boreal waters.

In Australia, the family is represented by two genera with erect, branched colonies, Elzerina and Bockiella. E. blainvillii was one of the first species to be described from Australia, by Lamouroux (1816), and his figured specimen is still extant. Colonies have dichotomous branches, up to 50 mm in height; marked by constricted kenozooids forming joints, analogous to those of some cheilostome genera, such as Cellaria in appearance and function. Each autozooid is surrounded by a series of kenozooids, which are large and smooth in E. blainvillii, and small and spiny in E.cylindrica. Both species have up to 23 tentacles. Elzerina occurs from shallow shelf waters. E. blainvillii is found round all Australian coasts, and from South Africa; E.cylindrica has been reported only from Victoria. Species of Bockiella have erect colonies with less regular patterning of branches, and kenozooids which have no spines. The type species, B. angusta, occurs from fairly deep waters, from Japan to Bali (135-752 metres), but the only Australian species, B. robusta, grows on algae in shallow shelf waters from New South Wales (Cook 1964).

 

Diagnosis

Colony encrusting or erect, fleshy, with thickened cuticle. Autozooids generally relatively large, the orificial region either papilliform, or with an operculum-like flap formed from the proximal part of a thickened, bilabiate orifice. Kenozooids always present, with a definite position in relation to autozooids; smooth-surfaced or spinose. Several embryos brooded in one zooid, bivalved larvae produced.

 

General References

Bassler, R.S. 1953. Bryozoa. Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology, Part G, Moore, R.C., (editor). Lawrence, Kansas : Geological Society of America pp. G1-G253.

Cook, P.L. 1964. Notes on the Flustrellidridae (Polyzoa, Ctenostomata). Annals and Magazine of Natural History 13 7: 279-300

Lamouroux, J.V.F. 1816. Histoire des Polypiers Coralligènes flexibles vulgairement nommés Zoophytes. Caen : Poisson i-ixxxiv, 1-560, pls 1-19.

Prenant, M., & Bobin, G. 1956. Bryozoaires, premiere partie, Entoproctes, Phylactolèmes, Ctenostomes. Faune de France, 60. Paris : Fédération Française des sociétés de sciences naturelles pp. 1-398.

 

History of changes

Note that this list may be incomplete for dates prior to September 2013.
Published As part of group Action Date Action Type Compiler(s)
25-Mar-2014 BRYOZOA Ehrenberg, 1831 25-Mar-2014 MODIFIED Dr Robin Wilson (NMV) Elizabeth Greaves (NMV)
29-Mar-2010 MODIFIED

Genus Elzerina Lamouroux, 1816


Compiler and date details

July 2001 - Dr Philip Bock

 

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, Western Australia


Note that conversion of the original AFD map of states, drainage basins and coastal and oceanic zones to IBRA and IMCRA regions may have produced errors. The new maps will be reviewed and corrected as updates occur. The maps may not indicate the entire distribution. See further details below.

IMCRA

Southwest Shelf Province (31), Spencer Gulf Shelf Province (33), Western Bass Strait Shelf Transition (34), Bass Strait Shelf Province (35), Southeast Shelf Transition (37), Central Eastern Shelf Province (38), Northeast Shelf Province (40), Northeast Shelf Transition (41)

Original AFD Distribution Data

Afrotropical Region

Australian Region

History of changes

Note that this list may be incomplete for dates prior to September 2013.
Published As part of group Action Date Action Type Compiler(s)
25-Mar-2014 BRYOZOA Ehrenberg, 1831 25-Mar-2014 MODIFIED Dr Robin Wilson (NMV) Elizabeth Greaves (NMV)
29-Mar-2010 MODIFIED

Species Elzerina binderi (Busk, 1861)


Compiler and date details

July 2001 - Dr Philip Bock

 

Distribution

States

New South Wales


Note that conversion of the original AFD map of states, drainage basins and coastal and oceanic zones to IBRA and IMCRA regions may have produced errors. The new maps will be reviewed and corrected as updates occur. The maps may not indicate the entire distribution. See further details below.

IMCRA

Southeast Shelf Transition (37), Central Eastern Shelf Province (38)

Original AFD Distribution Data

Australian Region

Ecological Descriptors

Colonial, continental shelf, filter-feeder, sessile.

 

History of changes

Note that this list may be incomplete for dates prior to September 2013.
Published As part of group Action Date Action Type Compiler(s)
25-Mar-2014 BRYOZOA Ehrenberg, 1831 25-Mar-2014 MODIFIED Dr Robin Wilson (NMV) Elizabeth Greaves (NMV)
29-Mar-2010 MODIFIED

Species Elzerina blainvillii Lamouroux, 1816


Compiler and date details

July 2001 - Dr Philip Bock

 

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, Western Australia


Note that conversion of the original AFD map of states, drainage basins and coastal and oceanic zones to IBRA and IMCRA regions may have produced errors. The new maps will be reviewed and corrected as updates occur. The maps may not indicate the entire distribution. See further details below.

IMCRA

Southwest Shelf Province (31), Spencer Gulf Shelf Province (33), Western Bass Strait Shelf Transition (34), Bass Strait Shelf Province (35), Southeast Shelf Transition (37), Central Eastern Shelf Province (38), Northeast Shelf Province (40), Northeast Shelf Transition (41)

Original AFD Distribution Data

Afrotropical Region

Australian Region

Ecological Descriptors

Colonial, filter-feeder, sessile, subtidal.

 

History of changes

Note that this list may be incomplete for dates prior to September 2013.
Published As part of group Action Date Action Type Compiler(s)
25-Mar-2014 BRYOZOA Ehrenberg, 1831 25-Mar-2014 MODIFIED Dr Robin Wilson (NMV) Elizabeth Greaves (NMV)
06-Sep-2010 MODIFIED

Species Elzerina cylindrica (Hincks, 1884)


Compiler and date details

July 2001 - Dr Philip Bock

 

Distribution

Extra Distribution Information

Australian Endemic.


Note that conversion of the original AFD map of states, drainage basins and coastal and oceanic zones to IBRA and IMCRA regions may have produced errors. The new maps will be reviewed and corrected as updates occur. The maps may not indicate the entire distribution. See further details below.

IMCRA

Western Bass Strait Shelf Transition (34), Bass Strait Shelf Province (35), Southeast Shelf Transition (37)

Original AFD Distribution Data

Australian Region

Ecological Descriptors

Colonial, continental shelf, filter-feeder, sessile.

 

History of changes

Note that this list may be incomplete for dates prior to September 2013.
Published As part of group Action Date Action Type Compiler(s)
25-Mar-2014 BRYOZOA Ehrenberg, 1831 25-Mar-2014 MODIFIED Dr Robin Wilson (NMV) Elizabeth Greaves (NMV)
29-Mar-2010 MODIFIED

Genus Neobockiella D'Hondt, 1983


Compiler and date details

July 2001 - Dr Philip Bock

 

Distribution

States

New South Wales


Note that conversion of the original AFD map of states, drainage basins and coastal and oceanic zones to IBRA and IMCRA regions may have produced errors. The new maps will be reviewed and corrected as updates occur. The maps may not indicate the entire distribution. See further details below.

IMCRA

Southeast Shelf Transition (37), Central Eastern Shelf Province (38)

Original AFD Distribution Data

Australian Region

History of changes

Note that this list may be incomplete for dates prior to September 2013.
Published As part of group Action Date Action Type Compiler(s)
25-Mar-2014 BRYOZOA Ehrenberg, 1831 25-Mar-2014 MODIFIED Dr Robin Wilson (NMV) Elizabeth Greaves (NMV)
29-Mar-2010 MODIFIED

Species Neobockiella robusta (Cook, 1964)


Compiler and date details

July 2001 - Dr Philip Bock

 

Distribution

States

New South Wales


Extra Distribution Information

Known only from type locality.

Australian Endemic.


Note that conversion of the original AFD map of states, drainage basins and coastal and oceanic zones to IBRA and IMCRA regions may have produced errors. The new maps will be reviewed and corrected as updates occur. The maps may not indicate the entire distribution. See further details below.

IMCRA

Southeast Shelf Transition (37), Central Eastern Shelf Province (38)

Original AFD Distribution Data

Australian Region

Ecological Descriptors

Colonial, filter-feeder, sessile, subtidal.

 

History of changes

Note that this list may be incomplete for dates prior to September 2013.
Published As part of group Action Date Action Type Compiler(s)
25-Mar-2014 BRYOZOA Ehrenberg, 1831 25-Mar-2014 MODIFIED Dr Robin Wilson (NMV) Elizabeth Greaves (NMV)
04-Aug-2011 MODIFIED